How the Mighty Fall
by As The Rush Comes
Summary: Luke Hobbs was more than just God's wrath. He was more than just a master bounty hunter. He was also a father. Hannah is his world, though many don't know it. But the DSS takes him from home far more than he wishes, so he has no choice to hire a nanny. Enter Amanda Wood. Oh, how the mighty fall in love.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Fast and Furious series, though I wish I did.

**Summary: **Luke Hobbs was more than just God's wrath. He was more than just a master bounty hunter. He was also a father. Hannah is his world, though many don't know it. But the DSS takes him from home far more than he wishes, so he has no choice to hire a nanny. Enter Amanda Wood. She's the perfect choice: charming, sweet, and Hannah takes to her almost immediately. Unfortunately, Hobbs does too. And she's not without a few secrets of her own. Oh, _how the mighty fall _in love.

**A/N: **So I won't lie…this came to me in a dream. At first I tried to ignore it but it wouldn't leave me alone. So I decided to just go with it. Besides, Luke Hobbs has to have some sort of soft side, right? This takes place after Fast 6, so it's a whole new plot. Well, here goes. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

_Six years ago…_

"_Hands up! I said put your hands up!" There were shouts of commotion as Amanda Wood navigated her way through the house, a SWAT team behind her making arrests as they searched for a well-known drug dealer: Sebastian Flores. _

"_He's not here! Wood!" She heard someone shout behind her and she lowered her gun, but before turning back, a small light caught her eye. Moving forward, she pushed the door to a bedroom open and gasped. _

"_No…"_

"_Amanda, we're pulling out! Amanda!" An officer joined her in the doorway and gasped before pulling her away, "Let's go Amanda, he's dead. Come on!"_

_The dead eyes of her baby brother, who had been missing for nearly a year, would haunt her dreams every night for the rest of her life._

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><p>One thing people did not know about Luke Hobbs was that he was a patient man. Of course, it's hard to believe when one is hunting down criminals on a strict time clock, but that's a different situation. No, in everyday life, Luke Hobbs is calm and patient. He has to be; otherwise he would have a very unhappy seven-year-old to contend with. Those were battles he would frequently lose.<p>

"Daddy, do I have to have a nanny?" Hobbs looks down at the pouting brunette as they walk towards a large school building. He wants to tell her no, that she can come with home as he chases criminals cross the globe. It would certainly be easier than seeing the disappointment on her face for when he has to leave again. He'd caught a break after bringing down Owen Shaw, but he wasn't sure just how long that would last.

"Hannah, what has Daddy told you? When you're old enough, you can come with me. Until then, you need someone to take care of you while I'm out of town." This did little to appease her, but he knew it was a losing battle anyway. It always was.

"I wish you didn't have to go away…" Her words were soft but he still heard them and he had to fight with himself to not call the DSS right then and declare his retirement. He was making the world a safer place, he reasoned, he was doing it all for his little girl.

He stopped walking and knelt down, so that he could be eye level with her, "Baby listen, I know you hate it when I leave. I promise will always come back."

She nodded before reaching out and hugging him, and he returned the gesture, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way. Once inside, he nodded to the receptionist who pointed him towards a room. Walking inside, he sat down, Hannah still in his arms. They waited for fifteen minutes before the door opened and voice caught their attention.

"She's having a hard time with it, huh?" Hobbs turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway. She had brown hair, green eyes, and a bright smile on her face. Hannah looked at her as well, her own face lighting up as she turned to her father.

"You didn't tell me she was going to be pretty, Daddy!" The woman chuckled as Hannah scrambled out of her father's arms and hurried over to her, "Hi, my name is Hannah. What's yours?"

"Wait a minute," Hobbs laughed, "Just a few minutes ago you were all upset about having a nanny." Hannah cast him a sly look before turning her attention back to the woman, "Kids…"

"That's my dad, his name is Luke Hobbs. He's a policeman." Hannah began to tell the woman and Hobbs couldn't help but be relieved as his daughter took to her almost instantly.

"A policeman, huh? I hope he can get me out of a few speeding tickets," The woman joked, "Amanda Wood, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hobbs." She walked over and extended her hand for him to shake.

"It's just Hobbs, I'm not that old," He chuckled, "And you've met Hannah. I won't lie, she's a handful, but you'll get used to her."

Hannah huffed indignantly before catching Amanda's attention once more. They were to spend the day together before Hobbs had to catch a flight to New York City. He was only going to be gone for a few days but he wanted to make sure that Hannah would be well taken care of.

As they signed out with the receptionist, Hannah began to tell Amanda all of her favorite places in L.A. to go. Hobbs just followed behind them, ever watchful for any danger.

Her mother had been a good friend of his when he was growing up. One night they both had gotten a little too drunk, and nine months later Hannah was born. He had been so afraid to be a father, but when he first lay eyes on her, he knew that he could figure something out. He didn't see her often as his work with the DSS constantly had him traveling. Then her mother died in a car accident when she was four.

His whole life changed in that single moment as Hannah moved in with him and became an everyday part of his life. At first he would just leave her with friends to watch over her when he had to track a criminal down. But after being gone for several weeks to bring down Owen Shaw, he knew he needed a different option. So he turned to a nanny agency.

"Daddy! You're walking too slowly! Amanda and I want to go to the beach!" He rolled his eyes. How had he ended up with such a demanding child?

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><p>Amanda's heart warmed as she watched Hannah interact with her father. The girl had said he was a policeman but she knew that he was doing more than just menial police work. He had muscles for days, not that she was gawking or anything. She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Here she was, checking out her new employer. What was she? A teenager?<p>

She quit the force the day after they found her brother. Her heart was shattered into too many pieces and she needed the time to pick them back up.

Being a nanny was only supposed to be temporary, just to pay the bills. But she fell in love with it; fell in love with the children. They reminded her of him, of what she had lost.

The day passed in a blur and soon, Hobbs was leading them towards a black SUV. Hannah was still talking nonstop and he shot Amanda an apologetic look but she waved him off. The girl probably had barely anyone to talk to, so she was happy to listen.

As they drove, Amanda felt a tendril of nerves. This would be her first time being a live-in nanny, and she hoped that it wouldn't be awkward. It was one thing for there to be two parents or even be dealing with a single mom. She doubted Hobbs would be around much, though. After all, he was flying out first thing in the morning.

"We're home!" Hannah announced when they pulled up outside of a building known for its expensive and luxurious loft apartments, "Wait until you see my room!"

Amanda laughed as she was taken by the hand led up the stairs until they reached the door of the apartment. Behind them, Hobbs jogged up the steps and handed her a key, telling her it was her copy. She opened the door and let Hannah lead her inside. The décor was simple, as she had expected the home of a man to be. However, the small flashes of pink and glitter gave way to Hannah's presence in the home.

"Sorry, we forgot to clean up before we left this morning." Hobbs shrugged as he set his keys on the kitchen counter, "Feel free to look around. Your bedroom is across from Hannah's. It's fully furnished and you have your own bathroom. If you need anything else, just let me know."

There was no way this guy was a policeman, she thought. Her pay had never been this good. As Hannah gave her a tour, she couldn't help but wonder if Luke Hobbs was really who he said he was. Of course, she had no room to judge. No one knew of her past, and she'd like to keep it that way.

An hour later, Hannah was made to put her pajamas on and was sent to bed, as she had school the next day. Amanda found herself settling on the couch as she listened to Hobbs tell his daughter good night. She could hear the sadness in the girl's voice when she asked her father about his imminent departure. He promised her that he would come back. Amanda's chest tightened at his words, but she pushed the sadness away immediately.

She tried to make herself look busy when he walked into the living area and sat in an armchair across from her. He sighed heavily as he placed his head in his hands.

"She doesn't understand it now, why you have to leave, but one day she will. It takes time for children to grasp things. All she sees now is that her dad is constantly leaving her, only giving the promise that he'll come back," She smiled sadly, "It's hard now, but it will become a little easier to bear."

"You sound like you know from experience," Hobbs' voice was soft, unguarded.

"I've been a nanny for some time now; I would hope I have a little experience." Amanda joked and earned a brief chuckle from Hobbs, "I should get some sleep. You should too; she's going to be waking you up early so that she can see you before you go."

"You came highly recommended," he told her as she stood to go to her room; "I'm beginning to see why."

"Good night, Hobbs."

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><p><em>an: now before anyone blasts me for making Hobbs OOC, please understand that he's a _father _in this fic. I would hope he wouldn't be an asshole to his daughter. He only reserves that for criminals. And Dom's crew. Alright…review! It makes me update faster._


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Fast and Furious series, though I wish I did.

**Summary: **Luke Hobbs was more than just God's wrath. He was more than just a master bounty hunter. He was also a father. Hannah is his world, though many don't know it. But the DSS takes him from home far more than he wishes, so he has no choice to hire a nanny. Enter Amanda Wood. She's the perfect choice: charming, sweet, and Hannah takes to her almost immediately. Unfortunately, Hobbs does too. And she's not without a few secrets of her own. Oh, _how the mighty fall _in love.

**A/N: **It's been awhile, but I'm still here. Second chapter and it's still a little slow but I want to lay a good foundation for the plot and characters. I hope you like it! And thank you to all who have reviewed so far, keep them coming!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

_Three weeks later…_

"Hannah Elaine Hobbs!" The sound of giggling could be heard as Hannah hurried into her room and shut the door, locking it behind her. Somewhere within the apartment, laughter could be heard as Hobbs looked down at his now flour-covered uniform.

Amanda was walking towards Hannah room when she saw him and promptly burst into laughter as well. The anger on his face did nothing to stop her chuckles as she knocked on Hannah's door. After she promised that the girl's father was not with her, she was let into the room.

Hobbs waited for a few moments before the door opened again and Hannah walked out. She tried to look guilty and ashamed, but Amanda's own laughter was not helping.

"I'm sorry Daddy; I was trying to make a cake." She said softly, "Please don't be mad."

"Hannah, please go back to your room." Hobbs told her, "I'll talk to you after I clean up." The tone of his voice made Hannah shiver before she turned a fled back to the sanctuary of her room. Hobbs sighed and threw a glare in Amanda' direction, "You think this is funny?"

"Oh come on, Hobbs, she's seven and wanted to make a cake for her father," She sighed, "Now she's terrified that you're angry with her."

"She ruined my uniform!" His voice raised a little, and normally it would have scared his subordinates but Amanda didn't even blink, "And where were you when this was happening? I hired you to make sure she stays out of trouble."

"It will come out in the wash, and for your information, I was looking up a cake recipe while she got out the ingredients. And you hired me to take care of your daughter, Hobbs. Not be a prison warden."

This was their third fight since Amanda had begun to look after Hannah. The first time had been when he returned from New York at 3 AM only to find Hannah still up and watching television with Amanda. It had been a school night, and naturally, he wasn't happy about it. The second fight occurred after Hannah was sent home for hitting girl who had been teasing her about not having a real mom. Both times Amanda had taken up for Hannah and this time was no different.

After a few silent and tense minutes Hobbs began walking to Hannah's room but cast a glance in Amanda's direction, "I like chocolate cake. Just try to keep the flour to a minimum."

After a few knocks and some coaxing, Hobbs was finally let into his daughter's room.

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><p>Later that night Amanda was sitting next to Hannah's bed reading to the girl as she fell asleep. She read along with her a few times, asking Amanda to pronounce words she had never seen before. It was their ritual and Amanda enjoyed it. It was times like these when she would think of him, only to quickly push the thoughts away.<p>

"Mandy, do you think he liked the cake?" Hannah yawned as her eyelids grew heavy. Amanda smiled softly at her; the girl loved her father and desperately wanted his approval. She hoped Hobbs saw that and wouldn't ruin it. A broken arm or a leg was easy to fix, but not a broken heart.

She nodded, "Oh yes, he loved it. In fact, I'll bet he's going to sneak into the kitchen to get some more, but we won't let him know that we know his secret." She winked as Hannah giggled. Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on the girl's forehead, "Go to sleep now, I'll see you in the morning."

With one last glance, she stood and walked to the bedroom door. She opened it and walked out, closing the door softly behind her. Walking down the hall, she stopped when she heard something rustling in the kitchen. Frowning, she walked towards the doorway and leaned in, laughing to herself at the sight of Hobbs leaning against the counter and eating a slice of cake.

"She was so worried that you wouldn't like it." He looked up at the sound of her voice and shrugged.

"You girls make a mean chocolate cake, even though I'll have to work out and extra half hour tomorrow because of it." This made Amanda laugh loudly.

"As if you need to work out, you're built better than a linebacker." Hobbs chuckled at this and Amanda decided that she'd try to make him laugh more often. He was too serious sometimes, though she knew it came with his job. She too had lost the laughter in her life and after the death of her brother, it took time to gain it back.

"You should head to bed, you have to be up early again." It sounded more like an order than a suggestion, but Amanda was done arguing with him for the day. She nodded stiffly before turning to leave, the sound of his voice stopping her, "Before you go, I just wanted to say that I may have overreacted just a bit today."

She turned back to him and dramatically her eyes before grinning wickedly, "I'll take that as an apology, good night Hobbs."

He watched her go and couldn't help but to smile himself. He had always been a good judge of character, but there was something about Amanda that simply rang true with him, though he couldn't figure out what. He also thought about the fact that she seemed closed-off, devoting her time and being to Hannah but only being cordial and making small-talk with him. Except for when they argued, then she was fierce and protective, and unwilling to back down.

Much like himself.

He wanted to know the woman that was watching over his child more than she was willing to give. A background check could tell him her history, but it couldn't get him inside of her head. Placing the empty plate on the counter, he pulled open a drawer and pulled out a pen and a post-it. Writing a quick note on it, he left it on the counter before leaving the kitchen and the unwashed plate in favor of his bedroom.

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><p>The bell of the coffee shop rang as Amanda walked through the door. Breathing a heavy sigh, she walked up to the counter. The barista smiled at her, asking her what she would like. Ordering just a cup of black coffee and a bagel, she paid for her breakfast before heading to a table.<p>

Hannah had been nearly unbearable that morning, as her father had left in the early hours of the morning and the girl had wanted him to see her off. To go along with the epic tantrum that she threw, Amanda's monthly friend came to visit and she had spent part of the morning leaning over the toilet while still trying to get the girl ready for school.

Finally, they hurried out the door and she did 90-to-nothing down the freeway, praying that a cop wouldn't stop her. After dropping Hannah off, Amanda needed something or she felt she would throw up again. Heading to the nearest coffee shop, she now found herself slumped in a chair looking as unattractive as ever in her hoodie, yoga pants, and messy top knot.

"Rough morning?" She looked up to see a guy holding her coffee and bagel. Raising an eyebrow, she had her doubts that he worked there, as he was dressed more for Wall Street than for a coffee shop. Upon seeing her questioning stare, he laughed, "I'm the owner and I just had a meeting with the bank, so excuse my rather pretentious appearance."

She laughed, "I will if you excuse my homeless appearance, and yes, this morning has been rough."

"Mind telling me about it?" She smiled in spite of herself, knowing what he was getting at. Taking a second glance at him, she found that his combination of black hair and gray eyes were attractive, as well as his chiseled jaw line. It'd been awhile since she had dated, as many parents asked her not to, but Hobbs had made no such request.

"Sure," She sat up and gestured towards the empty seat in front of her, "I'm Amanda."

"Ben, it's nice to meet you Amanda. So tell me more about this morning?"

The stress of the morning was soon forgotten as she began to tell him about her job as a nanny and the family she worked for. His eyes lit up as he listened and she found herself blushing under his gaze. Before either of them knew it, one of Ben's employees walked up to them to let them know it was nearly lunch time and Amanda wondered how she had managed to spend nearly three hours just talking to someone.

"I should probably get going," She sighed, "I'll have to pick Hannah up soon and I need to run a few errands."

"Well, you can't leave before I've asked you to go to dinner with me." Ben grinned, "Because that would be the nice thing to do."

She laughed and nodded, "Well, you're lucky I'm a nice person." She pulled a pen from her purse and wrote her number on a napkin, "You have a good day, Ben."

"Oh, I definitely will now. I'll see you soon." His eyes met hers and she fought the urge to melt right there, hurrying away before she said or did something stupid.

As she walked out to her car, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Maybe the day wouldn't be so bad after all.

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><p><em>End Chapter Two<em>


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